Cellphone ban considered for school bus drivers

The Transportation and Telecommunications Committee heard testimony Feb. 26 on a bill that would prohibit school bus operators from using interactive wireless communication devices while driving.

LB258, introduced by Cedar Rapids Sen. Kate Sullivan, would pertain to bus drivers who operate buses that are owned or contracted out by schools. School bus operators still would be allowed to use dispatch communication devices.

School buses transport students on approximately 9 million trips annually, Sullivan said, yet bus drivers are not prohibited by state law from using cellphones while driving. Some school districts recommend that bus drivers pull over to the side of the road while using a cellphone, she said, but it is not a requirement.

“School bus passengers can be noisy and distracting and the last thing [the drivers] need to be doing is dialing or talking on their cellphone,” she said.

Jason Hayes of the Nebraska State Education Association testified in support of the bill, saying it would provide a level of safety for children commuting on the school bus.

No one testified in opposition and the committee took no immediate action on the bill.